


Cosmos

by ariphyll



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Gen, also mentions of mikoto, also some mentioned xander/takumi and hana/sakura but its super brief, by the barest meaning, sibling fic, this is technically a birthday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 11:47:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13007124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariphyll/pseuds/ariphyll
Summary: They didn't have as many chances to catch up after the war.





	Cosmos

**Author's Note:**

> It's that national holiday again! I wish I could have written something longer for my boy but this will have to suffice with my limited time. ~~Now back to commissions and editing..~~
> 
> Follow me on [tumblr](https://ariphyll.tumblr.com/) or on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ariphyll)!

Takumi bit his lip as he wreathed the flower stems around each other. He was trying to keep it a tight braid but the flowers were refusing to bind well enough for him to continue down. At this point he was about ready to tear them apart and just start over. Glancing at Sakura’s work next to him, she was having a much better time. The flowers melted together compared to his.

“I don’t think this is gonna work,” Takumi grumbled, undoing his futile work. He blamed his lack of success on not having made a crown in years. “I can’t remember how to keep them cinched together.”

Sakura gave him a small smile. “Try using the light pink one as the middle holder? The thicker stem might make a better base…”

“That’s what I’ve been trying…” Takumi mumbled. He adjusted his position on the ground, a futile attempt to escape grass stains over his clothes. “It’s more difficult now. I don’t have the hands of a kid anymore - you have an unfair advantage with your small fingers.”

“Isn’t Princess Camilla trying to teach you sewing? Braiding the flowers c-can’t be much more difficult than something like that,” Sakura said.

Takumi huffed. “Trying is the keyword there. She’s moreso doing it to ‘get to know me better’ anyway.”

Sakura let out a small giggle. “I can’t fully blame her. You are t-trying to court her brother.”

“I’m starting to regret telling you about that,” Takumi said, tearing up some grass to toss at her. “It’s not like King Xander even notices me out of meetings. Besides, I’m not the one still trying to ask my best friend out.”

Sakura turned pink at that, brushing the grass off her lap in an attempt to not look at him. “That’s… uhm…”

“See? These topics are best left alone aren’t they?” Takumi teased, grinning.

“That’s f-fair…” Sakura said. She went back to focusing on her flowers but Takumi could still see a bit of redness linger on her face.

Silence lapsed over the conversation for a bit. A cool breeze rolled through the field but glancing at the horizon Takumi could see storm clouds starting to roll in. Despite it being winter the temperature was fairly mild, but they would drop by tonight. The fact that most of his visit to Hoshido was going to be rained on was a bit sad if he was being honest. So much time in Nohr was spent under clouds, he had been excited to get away from it for a while.

Takumi sighed and went back to work on his crown. Perhaps his fourth attempt at the stubborn stems was the last one.

“... Do you think mother will like these?” Sakura asked, glancing over at him. Her stems were almost fully interwoven.

“Of course, cosmos were her favorite,” Takumi said. He looked over at Mikoto's grave a few feet away, the stone slab serene among the natural scenery. “And as if she would ever reject something you made, Sakura.”

“I know…” Sakura finished tying the ends of her crown together, setting it in her lap. “I... w-wish she could enjoy the peace with us.”

Takumi stared down at his own flowers. Even if a few years had passed since Mikoto died, it was sometimes hard to accept that something as simple as sitting around in a field would never happen again with her. Gods, ever since he had left for Nohr as an ambassador he hadn’t even had the time to keep up with his sister. Slow traveling letters back and forth could only convey so much information.

“I’m sure she knows,” Takumi said. His flower braiding wasn’t as neat or clean as Sakura’s was, but he was pretty sure he could work with it to make a crown. “And I’m sure she thanks us for these.”

Sakura flashed him a small smile. A moment lapsed between them before she spoke again. “It’s nice to see you again, Takumi.”

“I know,” Takumi sighed. “At this rate I’ll be so busy in Nohr that I won’t be able to come back to visit even for my birthday.”

“I’ve been talking w-with Elise and she wants to bring me over there for a bit,” Sakura said. “Go on a trip through the p-poorer cities of Nohr to heal the sick where we can during winter…”

“It’d boost Nohrian morale that’s for sure…” Takumi mumbled. Even after over a year of hardwork, the farther inland of Nohr you went the more poor it became. It was growing stronger, but with winter sicknesses coming over Takumi couldn’t deny it was a good idea. “However, I’ll have to trust Hana and Subaki to keep you safe for me.”

“O-of course! I just have to bring up the idea to Ryoma…” Sakura said.

Takumi bit his lip. “That might be a bit harder to convince him of, but I’m sure with enough persistence you can manage it.” He gave her a smile. “I’m sure there’s a billion political reasons you can throw at him to help him get over the fact you’re not a scared baby anymore.”

“I-I was never a baby!” Sakura protested.

Takumi laughed. “Always going to be the baby of the family.” He cinched the ends of his crown together, the handiwork crude next to Sakura’s but fully tied and wearable. “I say we place these and head back before they send guards looking after us.”

Sakura nodded, grabbing Takumi’s crown and standing. She walked over to Mikoto’s grave and kneeled, laying the two flower crowns down with the tenderest of care. Takumi could hear her mumble something - a prayer, wishes - before turning back to him.

“Ready to go?” Takumi asked.

Sakura nodded and moved back to his side, walking with him as they followed the trail back to the castle.

“I’m glad we were able to get away for a w-while, just like old times,” she said.

Takumi thought back to the ‘old times’. Their party was three back then, their mother always more than happy to join them for some fresh air. He could almost still feel the touch of her hands, showing him how to twist the stems of flowers together. That was all in the past now, a memory, but as he glanced back at the grave he supposed Mikoto was at least still there in spirit.

Wishes of his own caught on his tongue. Fantastical dreams for his mother to be alive and with them, to spend another birthday with her... This would simply have to suffice.

“Yeah… I’m glad too.”


End file.
